Dr. John Gilgun was a teacher, a Professor of English and Creative Writing, and though he never was a sailor himself, he had the mind of one. Each semester a vessel of students cast off the lines and set to sea with John on the most fascinating voyages. These weren’t tourist cruise boats, but the kind of boats staffed by a crew casting for a way out. Every student reaped their lay of the ship’s cargo, and every student took a hand at the oar. His American Novel class and History of Literary Criticism were unparalleled. Moby Dick was sublime.

 

John gave as many A’s as he could, was somewhat notorious for it. He’d laugh and say maybe the best students sought out his classes. It drove some faculty nuts, and I got it. Many good students who loved John’s classes and did indeed seek them out, and all of them credit John for unique scholarly gifts and perspectives they treasure today. They still have their lay of the voyage banked for eternity. That’s what John wanted all of his students to take away from his classes. Something that transforms. Something that lasts.

 

He didn’t share a significant piece of his own work early on at Missouri Western, because everyone learned a bit after the fact that John was a revered and respected novelist and writer in the gay arts community. New York loved him, and while he knew great souls and artists there, he always despised New York art politics and the game of it all. Art was life, art was serious. And art was play and fun. Art was not a political game of rigged sails set a certain way to keep some sailors off course. San Francisco welcomed him, and he loved her back. There are only a few who really understand how firmly John is rooted as a writer charting the psychological journey of being gay in mid-century America.

 

That John embraced community across the North American continent, an Irish Catholic gay boy from Boston, makes it a bit ironic that his insular Tahiti became and remained the Midwest. He recognized a need in these working-class families with their shoulders to the wheel, struggling to thrive and occasionally turning to the local college for a course to launch from. Bearing scars and near-deafness as reminders that growing up in Massachusetts in the 40’s and early 50’s was perilous, John closeted that part of himself for a time and began his long tenure as captain of Missouri Western’s literary offerings. John saw beauty everywhere, not naive rainbows, but beauty tinged with a sadness and moments of sheer joy amid a dark sublime. And these people needed him.

 

At the end of the day, to love and be needed, to be a part of community, to be loved for his mind and vision and gifts, felt like home in St. Joseph, Mo. And he had that from thousands of students whose lives would have been at least a little less without him.

 

Dr. John Gilgun waw a graduate of Boston University, the University of Iowa Writers Workshop, and received his Doctorate at The University of Iowa as well.  He taught 24/7 in life but was paid by Drake University and Missouri Western State University for his valuable services during his career.

 

His books include:

Music I Never Dreamed Of (Finalist for a Lambda Award);

Everything That Has Been Shall Be Again; The Reincarnation Fables of John Gilgun;

The Dooley Poems;

And Your Buddy Misses You

 

Poems, stories, essays, reviews, etc. are published in myriad sources.

 

John Gilgun was preceded in death by parents Beatrice I. Burke and Franics A. Gilgun of Malden, MA, and brother Robert Gilgun of Chicago, IL. John is survived by a sister, Janet Lively of Wakefield, Massachusetts, her children Janice, Karen and Michael, cousins and other relatives, faculty, friends, and the students who carry his blessings everywhere. Warm thanks to the staff at Angels 4 Care and Mosaic Hospice for their loving care.

 

A celebration of Life is tentatively planned for July 30 at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum in St. Joseph, MO from 7-9 pm.  There is no immediate funeral service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in John’s name.